[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 137 (Saturday, September 28, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S11700]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   UNANIMOUS-CONSENT REQUEST--S. 1237

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate now 
proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 545, S. 1237, a bill to 
amend certain provisions of law relating to child pornography; further, 
that a substitute amendment which is at the desk, offered by Senators 
Hatch, Biden, and others, be considered and agreed to, the bill be 
deemed read a third time and passed as amended, and the motion to 
reconsider be laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. SIMON. Mr. President, I am reserving the right to object. I have 
always opposed mandatory minimums. They are great politics. They are 
bad justice.
  The Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, William Rehnquist, has 
admonished Congress not to put these mandatory minimums on. There are 
some particularly harsh ones here.
  There is much in this bill to be commended. But if we can take the 
mandatory minimums off, I will remove any objection right away. Clearly 
we want to do everything we can to stop child pornography. But to say, 
for example, to an 18-year-old who is guilty of pornography with a 16-
year-old, for two offenses you get life in prison, which is what this 
bill mandates--I am not sure that serves the cause of justice. I think 
we ought to leave that up to the judges, as Chief Justice Rehnquist has 
suggested. So I do object.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.

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